Slaley First School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Slaley First School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

This is a small school where staff know the pupils well and everyone feels valued. Pupils enjoy being part of such a close and caring community. Staff and pupils abide by the school's values.

All have a positive approach to work.

Most pupils demonstrate kindness and respect towards staff and each other. Bullying incidents are very rare.

Staff are quick to investigate and resolve the very few cases that occur. Pupils are safe, happy and cared for well.

Leaders have the highest of aspirations for their pupils.

This includes children in early years and pupils w...ith special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

Staff lay on many activities to promote pupils' personal development. Pupils have the opportunity to take part in activities such as mindfulness, yoga, piano tuition and tennis.

Older pupils take on a wide range of leadership roles with diligence and pride. These include working as reading ambassadors, lunchtime support for younger pupils, pupil council members and playground buddies.

The school supports pupils and their families well.

Pupils are very well prepared for their next stage in education. The school is held in high regard by parents and carers.

What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Leaders and staff have developed an engaging curriculum that is ambitious for all pupils, including those with SEND.

In each subject, pupils are introduced to new learning in small, logical steps so that pupils build their knowledge progressively from early years to the end of Year 4.

Teachers use their strong subject knowledge to teach subjects with confidence. Leaders and staff provide pupils with helpful guidance and advice.

Staff use assessment well to rapidly resolve any misconceptions and to shape and adapt future teaching.

Reading is valued and celebrated. Staff spark and develop pupils' love of reading and interest in a wide range of books and texts.

The recently introduced phonics programme has had a positive impact on early reading at the school. Staff teach phonics consistently well. Early readers who are struggling receive effective and timely support.

They read books that are well matched to their current phonics level. This helps them to gain confidence and fluency in their reading. Leaders and staff celebrate pupils' reading success and praise them for reading widely and often.

As a result, pupils develop very positive attitudes towards reading and read well. Pupils benefit from the enrichment activities that the school provides for reading. For example, they were enthused after working with a local author and taking part in a well-known stories theme day.

Pupils with SEND flourish under the care and guidance of their teachers. Pupils' needs are quickly and effectively identified. Staff provide skilful help and support.

Pupils with SEND learn the same curriculum as their classmates. They enjoy all that the school has to offer, both academically and socially.

Pupils benefit from a wide variety of opportunities to be active and responsible citizens.

They make a strong contribution towards their local community. Pupils regularly devise creative and engaging ways to raise money for worthy causes. Pupils know the importance of having an active lifestyle, making healthy food choices and looking after their mental well-being.

They participate in after-school clubs and activities enthusiastically, especially dance. Pupils also gain an awareness of fundamental British values through their roles as ambassadors for the school and their eco-warrior work. Pupils develop a strong understanding of equality.

They speak maturely about the importance of the impact of leading historical figures who have promoted gender equality, such as Beatrix Potter.

Pupils, including those in early years and those with SEND, get on well with each other. Incidents of 'falling out' are rare.

Staff support pupils well to address any friendship issues. In some lessons, pupils do not meet the school's high expectations around respect. In these lessons, some pupils do not listen to others' views politely and talk over each other and the adults in the room.

This low-level disruption has a detrimental impact on some pupils' learning.

Governors share leaders' high ambition for the school and provide them with helpful support and challenge. Staff are proud to work at the school.

Leaders have taken steps to reduce the workload of staff successfully.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Sometimes, pupils talk over each other in lessons.

This means that there is a loss of focus on learning, which may lead to pupils missing vital information. The school should ensure that its behaviour expectations are understood and met by pupils consistently.

Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good.

This is called an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which is carried out under section 5 of the Act.

Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in March 2015.